2012 Telluride

Powder Perspective

Something happens when you ride the Gold Hill Express. The sky opens up. The bottom drops out. Palmayra Peak and Gold Hill Chutes 1 through 9 lurch up out of the pines and suddenly you’re dangling over rock faces, giant massifs and chasms. The San Juan Mountains hold the highest concentration of 14ers in Colorado, and they are all in view: Mount Wilson, El Diente Peak, Wetterhorn, and Mount Sneffels. The lift unloads at 12,225 feet, where skiers can drop into Revelation Bowl, hike to the Gold Hill Chutes or Bear Creek, or ski runs like Andy’s Gold, Woozley’s Way or See Forever-perhaps the greatest intermediate cruiser in the West. A local favorite is Little Rose to the choke, then cut over to Millions under the lift. You can access the base of every lift on the mountain from the top of the G.H.E., save two. Or take a load off Telluride-style, for a flight of wine at Alpino Vino. -PORTER FOX

Resort Overview

Stashed in the highest concentration of 14,000-foot peaks in North America, the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado boast some of ski country’s most incredible terrain, and Telluride is its mecca. The recently opened Palmyra Peak, Gold Hill Chutes and its new Staircase offer inbounds skiing from some of the highest elevations and steepest aspects in the Rockies. If you’re more into cruising, the intermediate See Forever runs from near the top of the resort and connects to the famed Plunge. With the historic town of Telluride tucked deep into a box canyon and connected to the modern day Mountain Village by a free gondola, transportation in town is as easy as getting here with direct flights from eight cities. All together, Telluride is the only choice for any real skier or rider this winter.

Terrain Breakdown

Naturally broken into sections by ability, the resort offers gentle, wide-open learning beginner runs on the lower section, perfectly pitched intermediate runs with every type of skiing in the middle of the mountain, and steeps, bumps, couloirs and hiking terrain off the top with epic views from everywhere.